Hi all,
a description of my holiday motoring woes will follow in discussion (probably after being run past DD for naming and shaming clearance), but...
The voltage regulator failed on my alternator, and was boiling the car battery, venting into the engine bay and (at lower speeds) through the ventilation system for about three or four hours of high speed driving on French autoroutes.
The alternator and battery have been replaced under warranty, and I plan to get the manufacturer to change the soundproofing on the bonnet as you can see where the fumes have melted the insulation.
My question - what else should I be pushing to have checked or changed? What else could have been damaged by the over-volting or the fumes? The car is only 8 months old and I'm planning to keep it long term (>200k miles). It's a Japanese 2.2 common rail diesel.
Cheers for your thoughts.
Gord.
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I'd give it a good once over to make sure everything electrical still works. Bulbs usually start blowing at around 16 volts and up.....
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if battery has done as you say then all the engine bay needs a good wash down before the paint lifts off and i hate to think what the underside of the bonnet will be like in 2 years time if not sorted now......
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I hate to think what the inside of your lungs look like now!
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Make the manufacturer change everything that came into contact with the sulphuric acid. You may not see significant consequences yet, but in years to come you may just find out when you wonder why a metal bracket or a rubber seal has mysteriously fallen apart. Plastic and glass components should generally be alright.
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For three days the vile smell in my combine was unbearable. It was the same problem that Gordon M had. I bought a new battery and took the alternator to be tested at Derby Auto Electrical. The guy took it round the back and put a new regulator on. He charged me £8.78, I gave him a tenner. The service at DAE was fantastic, I hope we can name and praise.
I wonder if I should be checked over, I have been breathing the sulphur in for about 20 hours, and I did not know what was causing it untill the combine would not start.
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"I'm planning to keep it long term (>200k miles). It's a Japanese 2.2 common rail diesel."
you really dont want to do that, your common rail diesel will be hitting you with new injectors and a new pump at some time during that time. 1500 quid should do it. Given the appaling residual values on your chosen car it wil be more than the car is worth.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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TVM, I can see where you're coming from, but actually don't agree (for the moment).
I've bought new as I'm doing 35k a year. In three years I'll have done 105k miles, four it'll be 140k miles.
So, I'll need to spend maybe 4 or 5 grand over the next few 10k's to get back up to a mechanically mint car (thinking injectors and pumps at a minimum, bearings, suspension, driveshafts etc.) - it'll cost a lot I'm sure. It'll cost a lot less than buying a new £23k car again tho. The car itself is going to only be 3-5 years old, have done motorway miles for the majority of its life, not have rust problems, and a completely known service history. I can't see how this can't be financially (and environmentally) sensible. What it's worth if I sold it isn't actually the issue...
On the other hand I might give it back at the end of the lease. :-)
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Fair do's you seem to have that aspect covered.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Quick followup. The car's been taken in by the manufacturer to be completely checked over. I'll follow up once I get the findings back
Problems in the meantime have been restricted to a period of a week or so a couple of weeks back when the alarm would sound whenever a door was opened (although indicators and lights wouldn't flash, it could be locked and unlocked normally and would start without problems while alarm sounding). Alarm has sounded very intermittantly since.
Here's hoping for no other damage...
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